Catamenial pad with an enzyme thereon



June 4, 1968 L. J. DE MERRE 3,386,441

CATAMENIAL PAD WITH AN ENZYME THEREON Filed Feb. 28. 1966 ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,386,441 CATAMENIAL PAD WITH AN ENZYME THEREONLeon J. De Merre, Highland Park, N.J., assignor to Johnson & Johnson, acorporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 530,648 6Claims. (Cl. 128-284) This invention relates to absorbent fibrousproducts and more particularly, is directed to an improved catamenialpad.

Catamenial pads, i.e. sanitary napkins, tampons, and interlabial pads,usually consist of a core of one or more layers of highly absorbent,relatively dense fibers which has a fluid permeable, soft, knitted,woven Or nonwoven wrapper. The cores are conventionally made of layersof fibers such as: carded cotton webs, air-layered cellulosic fiberwebs, comminuted wood pulp bats, tissue pulp or like materials which arehighly absorbent.

By the present invention, I have found a novel mechanism and means whichprovide more effective absorption of menstrual fluids in the absorbentcore portion of catamenial pads made from the above fibrous materials.

According to the present invention, there is provided a catamenial padhaving a relatively thick absorbent core of fibrous material surroundedby a liquid pervious fibrous cover and which has within the fibrousstructure, on at least a portion of the surface area thereof, one ormore enzymes having proteolytic, mucolytic and amylolytic activityapplied thereto at the rate of from about 0.3 milligram per squarecentimeter to about 2.0 milligrams per square centimeter. The enzymesserve to liquify gels and mucoid materials found in menstrual dischargewhich, if not liquified, tend to obtur-ate the pores of catamenial pads.Liquifying the gels and mucoid constituents of menstrual dischargeappreciably increases fluid penetration into the catamenial pad therebygreatly increasing their in-use absorptive capacity.

These and other features and attendant advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent fromjhe following description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sanitary napkin shown partially opento illustrate the incorporation of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a catamenial tampon shown partiallyopen to illustrate the incorporation of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating the incorporation ofenzymes into the catamenial pads of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, first to FIGURES 1 and 2, a sanitarynapkin incorporating the invention includes a relatively thick elongatedabsorbent core 12 enclosed within a liquid pervious fibrous wrapper 14whose ends extend beyond the ends of the absorbent core to provide theusual attachment tab 16. The absorbent core can be about 8 inches long,2 /2 inches wide and /2 inch thick and can consist of one or more layersof fibrous material such as: carded cotton webs, airlayered cellulosicfiber webs, comminuted wood pulp bats, tissue pulp or like materialswhich are highly absorbent. There can also be included within theabsorbent 3,386,441 Patented June 4, 1968 ICC core 12 one or more layersof semirepellent sheets such as: sulphite creped paper or absorbentlayers of bleached sulphite paper wadding and the like. The entire coreassembly is enclosed within the liquid pervious fibrous wrapper 14.

In the sanitary napkin embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 2, thefibers at the top surface of the absorbent core 12 have applied theretoan enzyme 20 suitable for liquifying menstrual fluid gels and mucoidconstituents. The embodiment shown with the enzyme applied to the fiberson one surface of the absorbent core illustrates a so-called one waynapkin. That is to say, the napkin is worn with the surface of theabsorbent core containing the liquifying enzyme positioned towards thebody. However, it is to be understood that a so-called two way napkincan be made in accordance with the present invention by applying theliquifying enzyme to the fibers on both the top and bottom surfaces ofthe absorbent core. In this instance, either side of the napkin can bepositioned against the body of the wearer.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, there is illustrated a catamenialtampon 30 incorporating the invention and which includes an elongatedcylindrical core 32 of densely packed absorbent fibers enclosed within aliquid pervious fibrous wrapper 34. Secured at one end of the tampon area pair of withdrawal strings 36 by which the tampon can be withdrawnsubsequent to use.

In the tampon embodiment shown, the enzyme 20 or enzymes are applied tothe fibers on the surface of the densified fibrous core 32 and to thefluid pervious fibrous cover 34 surrounding the core. As illustrated,the enzyme 20 is applied to the surface of the tampon from the end 38first to be inserted into the vaginal opening and extends along thelongitudinal direction of the tampon 30 for about /a of its length. Itis to be understood, how ever, that the enzyme could be applied to thetotal surface of the absorbent core 32 of the tampon 30 and/ or thetotal surface of the fluid pervious fibrous wrapper 34. However, sincethe tampon 30 intercepts menstrual fluid from the end 38, it is mostimportant that the gels and mucoid constituents of the menstrual fluidbe fluidized by the enzyme present in the tampon in the area first to becontacted by the menstrual fluid.

TABLE 1 Enzyme Type Class Manufacturer or (commercial name) distributorChymotrypsin Protease Animal- Armour Pharmaceutical Company, Kankakee,Illinois Crystalline Porcine -.do do Enzyme Dev. Corp. Trypsin. Divisionof Biddle Sawyer Corp., New York, N .Y. Papain 350 do Vegetable.Blaekman Labora- Capazyme do. do..- tories, South Hackensaek, NJ.Prolase 300 Z do do..." Wallerstein Labs.

Division of Baxter Labs. Inc., Staten Island, N.Y. Panol do do EnzymeDev. Corp., Pauol MgCa Division of Biddle Sawyer Corp., New York, N .Y.EB-21 do Bacterial Rhozyme J-25 Protease and do Rohm & Haas,

Diastase. Philadelphia, Pa. Rhozyme P-ll do do. Rhozyme W-l5 Protease.do Protease 43 .d0 do"... Protease 43 Cone do do B aeterial ProteaseProtease and Bacterial Amylase. Enzyme Dev. Corp., NOVO Protease and doDivision of Biddle Diastase. Sawyer Corp., Bioprasc #00379 do .do NewYork, N.Y. NAGARSE Protease d0 The particular enzymes used in accordancewith the present invention must be those which liquify the gelatinousand mucoid constituents of menstrual fluids while at the same time, arenonirritating to the skin and vaginal mucosa. Suitable enzymes I havefound, belong to the animal, vegetable and bacterial classes and haveproteolytic, mucolytic and amylolytic activity. Such enzymes are listedin the above Table 1 grouped according to their type of origin. Thecommercial names and the manufacturer or distributor from whom theenzymes are available are also provided.

Particularly suitable of the enzymes listed above, are the bacterialenzymes identified above as EB-21, Protease 43 Concentrate" and NOVO andthe vegetable enzyme identified as Prolase 300 Z.

The enzymes used in accordance with the present invention are applied tothe surfaces of the absorbent cores or to the wrappers of catamenialpads preferably in powdered form by means of an aerosol spray preferablyemploying Freon propellant or other substantially inert solvent.However, the enzymes can be applied to catamenial pads in accordancewith the present invention from an aqueous suspension or solution of theenzyme but this method is less desirable inasmuch as it requires dryingof the catamenial pad subsequent to the application of the enzyme.

There is illustrated in FIGURE 5, one method of applying the enzymes ofthe present invention to absorbent fibrous material. A relatively thickfibrous bat 40, suitable for forming the absorbent core in a sanitarynapkin, is conveyed continuously on a continuous belt conveyor 42adjacent to an aerosol spray apparatus 44 directing its spray over thetop surface of the fibrous bat 40. From the conveyor 42 and subsequentto the application of the enzyme to the upper surface of the fibrous bat40, it is cut into pads 46 of suitable length for use in a sanitarynapkin by rotary cut-off apparatus 48 and thence is conveyed awaytherefrom to further processing apparatus 50 where the sanitary napkincan be covered by a fluid permeable fibrous cover which may or may notalso have an enzyme applied thereto.

Similarly, fibrous material formed into catamenial tampons can beconveyed past an aerosol spray station for the application of an enzymeto the surface of its compressed fibrous core or to the surface of thefluid permeable fibrous wrapper applied thereto. The enzyme can beapplied to the catamenial tampon before the fluid permeable wrapper isplaced thereon or the enzyme can be applied after the wrapper is placedaround the core thereby applying the enzyme only to the cover.Similarly, the enzyme can be applied to the cover material prior to itsbeing wrapped around the absorbent core of the tampon.

Application of the enzyme to the fibers in the surface of the cores ofthe catamenial pads or to the fibers in the covers of the catamenialpads or both is controlled to a rate such that the enzyme is present onthe surface thereof in an amount ranging from about 0.3 milligram persquare centimeter to about 1.0 milligram per square centimeter. Mostpreferred is an enzyme concentration of about 0.6 milligram per squarecentimeter. It will be understood, that if the enzyme is applied both tothe fibers on the surface of the absorbent core and to the fibers in thefluid pervious cover, the enzyme will be present in an amount rangingfrom about 0.6 milligram per square centimeter to about 2.0 milligramsper square centimeter with about 1.2 milligrams per square centimeterbeing most preferred.

The present invention will be even more clearly understood from thefollowing examples:

Example I A sanitary napkin is prepared having an absorbent core ofcomminuted wood pulp and a nonwoven porous cover. The upper surface ofthe wood pulp core has .4 applied thereto 0.6 milligram of EB-21 enzymeper square centimeter of surface area. The enzyme is applied to theabsorbent core surface in a dry state from an aerosol spray employingFreon" gas as a propellant after which the nonwoven cover is placedaround the core with the ends extending beyond the ends of the core toform attachment tabs. The cover is not treated with the enzyme.

The sanitary napkin prepared as above is first weighed and is thensubjected to clinical in-use testing by being Worn during the second dayof the menstrual cycle for a period of two hours. The used napkin isthen Weighed to determine quantitatively the amount of menstrual fluidabsorbed during the two hour period.

Subjected to the identical clinical in-use testing and quantitativemenstrual fluid absorption determination set forth in Example I orsanitary napkins prepared according to the examples following below. Theresults of these in-use tests are summarized in Section 1 of Table 2.

Example II A sanitary napkin has 0.3 milligram per square centimeter ofProtease 43 Concentrate enzyme applied to the upper surface of theabsorbent core. The fluid pervious cover remains untreated.

Example III A sanitary napkin has 1.0 milligram per square centimeter ofNOVO enzyme applied to the upper surface of the absorbent core. Thefluid pervious cover remains untreated.

Example IV A sanitary napkin has 1.0 milligram per square centimeter ofProlase 300 Z enzyme aplied to the upper surface of the absorbent core.The fluid pervious cover remains untreated.

Example V A sanitary napkin has 0.6 milligram per square centimeter ofProtease 43 enzyme applied to the upper surface of the absorbent core.The fluid pervious cover also has applied thereto in the portionoverlying the top of the absorbent core, 0.6 milligram per squarecentimeter of Protease 43 enzyme.

Example VI A sanitary napkin has 1.0 milligram per square centimeter ofProtease 43 Concentrate enzyme applied to the upper surface of theabsonbent core. The fluid pervious cover has applied thereto in theportion overlying the top of the absorbent core, 0.9 milligram persquare centimeter of Bioprase #00379 enzyme.

Example VII A sanitary napkin has 0.3 milligram per square centimeter ofChymotrypsin enzyme applied to the upper surface of the absorbent core.The fluid pervious cover has applied thereto in the portion overlyingthe top of the absorbent core, 0.9 milligram per square centimeter ofBacterial Protease enzyme.

Example VIII A sanitary napkin has 0.3 milligram per square centimeterof Prolase 300 Z enzyme applied to the upper surface of the absorbentcore. The fluid pervious cover has applied thereto in the portionoverlying the top of the absorbent core, 0.6 milligram per squarecentimeter of NAGARSE enzyme.

Example X A sanitary napkin is prepared in which the absorbent coreremains untreated with any enzyme but in which the fluid pervious coverhas applied thereto in the portion overlying the top surface of theabsorbent core, 0.6 milligram per square centimeter of Protease 43Concentrate" enzyme.

Example XI A catamenial tampon is prepared having an absorbent,compressed, cylindrical core of tissue pulp and short rayon fibers,around which is wrapped a nonwoven porous cover. The leading one-half ofthe surface of the core has applied thereto 0.6 milligram of EB-21enzyme per square centimeter of surface area. The enzyme is applied tothe absorbent core surface in a dry state from an aerosol sprayemploying Freon gas as a propellant after which the nonwoven cover iswrapped around the core. A withdrawal string is knotted around the coreat its trailing end to provide a means for removing the tampon. Thecover is not treated with the enzyme.

The tampon prepared as above is first weighed and is then subjected toclinical in-use testing by being worn during the second day of themenstrual cycle for a period of two hours. The used tampon is thenweighed to determine quantitatively the amount of menstrual fluidabsorbed during the two hour period.

Subjected to the identical clinical in-use testing and quantitativemenstrual fluid absorption determination set forth in Example XI arecatamenial tampons prepared according to the examples following below.The results of these in-use tests are summarized in Section 2 of Table2.

Example XII A catamenial tampon has 0.3 milligram per square centimeterof Protease 43 Concentrate enzyme applied to the leading two-thirds ofthe surface of the absorbent core. The fluid pervious cover remainsuntreated.

Example XIII A catamenial tampon has 1.0 milligram per square centimeterof Papain 350 enzyme applied to the leading twothirds of the surface ofthe absorbent core. The fluid pervious cover remains untreated.

Example XIV A catamenial tampon has 0.8 milligram per square centimeterof NOVO enzyme applied to the leading one-half of the surface of theabsorbent core. The fluid pervious cover remains untreated.

Example XV A catamenial tampon has 0.5 milligram per square centimeterof Prolase 300 Z enzyme applied to the leading two-thirds of the surfaceof the absorbent core. The fluid pervious cover remains untreated.

Example XVI Example XVII A catamenial tampon has -l.0 milligram persquare centimeter of Rhozyme L25 enzyme applied to the leading one-halfof the surface of the absorbent core. The fluid pervious cover hasapplied thereto in the portion overlying the leading one-half of thesurface of the absorbent core, 1.0 milligram per square centimeter 0Rhozyme P-l 1 enzyme.

Example XVIII A catamenial tampon has 0.9 milligram per squarecentimeter of Panol enzyme applied to the leading onehalf of the surfaceof the absorbent core. The fluid pervious cover has applied thereto inthe portion overlying the leading two-thirds of the surface of theabsorbent core, 0.3 milligram per square centimeter of Panol Mg-Caenzyme.

Example XIX A catamenial tampon has 0.3 milligram per square centimeterof EB-21 enzyme applied to the leading one-half of the surface of theabsorbent core. The fluid pervious cover has applied thereto in theportion overlying the leading onehalf of the surface of the absorbentcore, 0.3 milligram per square centimeter of EB-21 enzyme.

Example XX A catamenial tampon is prepared in which the absorbent coreremains untreated with any enzyme but in which the fluid pervious coverhas applied thereto in the portion overlying the leading one-half of thesurface of the absorbent core, 0.3 milligram per square centimeter ofNOVO enzyme.

Example XXI A catamenial tampon is prepared in which the absorbent coreremains untreated with any enzyme but in which the fluid pervious coverhas applied thereto in the portion overlying the leading one-half of thesurface of the absorbent core, 0.6 milligram per square centimeter ofProtease 43 Concentrate enzyme.

Example XXII A cantamenial tampon is prepared in which the absorbentcore remains untreated with any enzyme but in which the fluid perviouscover has applied thereto in the portion overlying the leading one-halfof the surface of the absorbent core, 1.0 milligram per squarecentimeter of Rhozyme W-lS enzyme.

Example XXIII A catamenial tampon is prepared in which the absorbentcore remains untreated with any enzyme but in which the fluid perviouscove-r has applied thereto in the portion overlying the leading one-halfof the surfa'ce of the absorbent core, 0.5 milligram per squarecentimeter of Prolase 300 Z enzyme.

The following Table 2 summarizes the results obtained from in-use testson the above examples. The first listed standard napkin in Section 1 andstandard tampon in Section 2 are the average results obtained in thetests using napkins and tampons which remain totally untreated with theenzymes of the present invention.

TABLE 2 Section 1, Sanitary Napkins Section 2, Catamenial TamponsIStandard Napkin.

Absorbed menstrual fluid in two hour period, gms. (average) ExampleExample Standard Tampou XI s s as s ss see'e sw wqcvwmtoooocnocmcn Fromthe foregoing description, accompanying drawings and examples settingforth illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is seen that I haveprovided catamenial pads which are economical to make, which effectivelyfluidized gelatinous and mucoid constituents of menstrual fluids beingabsorbed by the catamenial pads and which effectively prevent obturationof the pores of catamenial pads thereby more effectively absorbing andretaining menstrual fluids and the gelatinous and mucoid constituentsthereof. It is apparent that variations, modifications and changes inthe foregoing illustrative embodiments and examples can be made Whilestill remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention as definedby the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An absorbent catamenial pad comprising a relatively thick absorbentcore of fibrous material and a liquid pervious fibrous cover around saidcore, said pad containing within the fibrous structure on at least theportion of the surface area thereof first to intercept menstrual fluidsin use, an enzyme having proteolytic, mucolytic or amylolytic activityin an amount ranging from about 0.3 rug/cm. to about 2.0 mg./cm.

2. An absorbent catamenial pad as defined in claim 1 wherein said enzymeis present in an amount ranging from about 0.6 mg/cm. to about 1.2mg./cm.

3. An absorbent catamenial pad as defined in claim 1 wherein said enzymeis contained within the fibers on the surface of said absorbent core.

4. An absorbent catamenial pad as defined in claim 1 wherein said enzymeis contained within the fibers of said liquid pervious cover.

5. A sanitary napkin as defined in claim 1.

'6. A catamenial tampon as defined in claim 1.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,729,752 10/1929 Southgate"128-290 2,848,308 8/1958 Free 128285 CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, PrimaryExaminer.

1. AN ABSORBENT CATAMENIAL PAD COMPRISING A RELATIVELY THICK ABSORBENTCORE OF FIBROUS MATERIAL AND A LIQUID PERVIOUS FIBROUS COVER AROUND SAIDCORE, SAID PAD CONTAINING WITHIN THE FIBROUS STRUCTURE ON AT LEAST THEPORTION OF THE SURFACE AREA THEREOF FIRST TO INTERCEPT MENSTRUAL